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Deirdre's Diary: A true champion

Favored to medal: They can be three of the deadliest words to an Olympian.

Jill Camarena-Williams was favored to medal in shot put coming into the London Summer Games.

It's her second Olympics. She's been ranked top three in the world for women's shot put.

Heck, she's married to a physical therapist. But sometimes luck, or lack thereof, gets in the way.

Jill's back gave out one week before competition. But her spirit did not.

Jill competed with her trademark grace, guts and grin.

And, when I emailed an interview request to her last night with the always uncomfortable "I know this didn't turn out the way you wanted" line, she replied, "Yes, we're going to go sightseeing. Would you like to come?"

Does the pope like going to church?

And that's how Domi and I ended up on the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral with the entire Camarena family.

Brother James is the one who gets the credit for suggesting she try throwing in the seventh grade.

"He now gets credit for my injuries," Jill jokes.

Mom Marilyn is arguably more proud of how her daughter handled defeat than how she might have handled gold.

My Olympic partner and photographer, Domi, has covered Jill since she was in high school. He'll kill me for telling you this but, he was truly choked up telling her how impressed he is with her as a person.

Champions aren't born. They're raised. They're influenced by those who give birth to them, coach them and are there for them when things don't pan out.

Jill Camarena-Williams was favored to medal. But, in my book, she is a true champion, no hardware required.

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